from the chicago tribune
Beet salad with pomegranate-molasses dressing
Total time: 1 hour, 50 minutes
Makes: 8 servings
Hoss Zaré grew up watching his mother make grape and pomegranate molasses in Lebanon. He has kept the tradition alive preparing these recipes at his namesake restaurant, Zaré at the Flytrap in San Francisco. You will have extra pomegranate molasses and dressing left; store in refrigerator.
Pomegranate molasses ingredients
1 cup pomegranate or grape juice
1/2 cup each: sugar, fresh-squeezed lime juice
Dressing ingredients
1/4 cup each: lemon juice, freshly chopped mint
1/2 Tbsp. freshly chopped oregano
1/2 tsp. each: cumin, salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salad ingredients
3 each, large: red beets, golden beets
2 heads watercress, torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup mint leaves, torn into bite-size pieces
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Wrap each beet in a double layer of foil; roast in oven until tender, 1-1 1/2 hours. Unwrap beets; let cool.
2. Meanwhile, for the molasses, place the pomegranate juice, sugar and lime juice in a medium-size saucepan; cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until mixture reaches a syrup consistency, 15-20 minutes.
3. For dressing, whisk together 1/4 cup of the pomegranate molasses, the lemon juice, mint, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl; slowly add oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified. Set aside.
4. Slip off beet skins. Slice into 1/4-inch thick rounds; put each color in a separate bowl. Add 3 Tbsps. of dressing to each bowl; toss to coat. Divide watercress and mint leaves among 8 salad plates; spoon beets over them.
Nutrition information: Per serving: 247 calories, 48% of calories from fat, 14 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 31 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 261 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.
Gingersnap cookies
Total time: 2 hours, 45 minutes per batch
Makes: 60 cookies
Chef Jim Hoveke says these gingersnap cookies fly off the plate when he makes them for special occasions at Ben Pao in Chicago.
Ingredients
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
1 cup each: packed brown sugar, granulated sugar
1/3 cup molasses
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsps. baking soda
1 tsp. each: cinnamon, ground ginger
1/4 tsp. each: ground red pepper, ground cloves, salt
1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter, brown sugar, 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar and molasses in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs until smooth; set aside. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, red pepper, cloves and salt in a medium bowl; beat into the butter-molasses mixture until smooth.
2. Divide dough into six portions; roll each portion into 1-inch-wide cylinders. Chill cylinders 2 hours. Pour remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a shallow dish. Cut each cylinder into 1/2-inch thick slices; dip both sides of cookies in the sugar. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until firm, 10-12 minutes; cool on wire racks.
Nutrition information: Per cookie: 68 calories, 23% of calories from fat, 2 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 11 mg cholesterol, 13 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, 45 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.
from the los angeles times
Sweet pea soup
Total time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8
Adapted from LA Mill Coffee in Silver Lake. Pea tendrils are available at Asian and select farmers markets.
Ingredients
3 cups (14 ounces) shucked English peas
6 cups (14 ounces) pea tendrils
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth, more as needed
1 tsp. piment d'espelette, or to taste
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. hot sauce, or to taste
Sea salt
Sugar (optional)
1. In a large pot, blanch the peas just until tender, being careful not to overcook. Immediately strain the peas and place in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Strain and reserve. Repeat with the pea tendrils.
2. In a large bowl using an immersion blender, or in stages using a regular blender, purée the peas and tendrils with the broth until smooth. Strain, then use the blender to blend in the d'espelette powder, olive oil and hot sauce.
3. The starch content of the peas may vary, affecting the thickness of the soup; if necessary, adjust the consistency of the soup with additional vegetable broth. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed (vegetable broth varies in saltiness, more or less will be needed depending on your brand). If necessary, add sugar to taste for additional sweetness.
4. Serve the soup chilled.
Each of 8 servings: 343 calories; 11 grams protein; 34 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams fiber; 21 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 995 mg. sodium.
from KCRW's good food
Springtime frittata with peas and mint
Servings: 6
Ingredients
10 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only
1 cup peas (blanched if using fresh)
3 Tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup fromage blanc or ricotta cheese
1. Preheat the broiler. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs until blended, and season well with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. In a 10-inch skillet that is safe for the broiler, over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil. Add the leeks, season lightly with salt and pepper, and sweat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the peas and 2 tablespoons of mint and saute briefly. Pour in the eggs. With a heatproof rubber spatula, cook the eggs, gently scrambling, to obtain loose, small curds. Move the cooked eggs to the center of the pan, allowing the uncooked portion to set along the sides. Do this several times, until most of the eggs are half set, 5-7 minutes.
3. Turn the heat off. Spoon small, quarter-size dollops of fromage blanc randomly on the surface of the egg mixture. Place the skillet under the broiler until the frittata gets puffy and toasty brown, and the fromage blanc begins to color, 6-7 minutes. Remove from the broiler, sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of chopped mint, and enjoy either warm or at room temperature.
Spring mélange
Serves: 8 to 10
Use a mix of your favorite sweet spring vegetables, such as onions, leeks, peas, and pea tendrils, and “bitter” ones, such as chard, rapini, escarole, and fava beans. Follow the amounts listed below or vary to preference.
Ingredients
1 large onion or 2 leeks, 4 large shallots, or 1 bunch spring onions
1 bunch green garlic
1 bunch white-stemmed Swiss chard or rapini or 1 head escarole or lettuce OR 1/2 pound spinach
1 to 2 bunches thick asparagus or 1/2 pound small sprouting broccoli
1 lb English peas in shell or 1/2 pound sugar snap peas
Handful pea shoots, optional
1 lb fava beans
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or unsalted butter or a mix
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill or mint, or more to taste
1 Meyer or Eureka lemon
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
1. Prepare all vegetables for cooking and keep separate (may be done a day ahead and refrigerated). Cut onions, leeks, or shallots into bite-sized pieces. Finely slice green garlic including about 6 inches of tender green tops. Remove stems from large leafy greens. If using chard, reserve stems. Cut greens crosswise into 1/2-inch ribbons. Cut chard stems into 1/4-inch wide pieces. Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Trim broccoli ends. Shell English peas or cut sugar snaps into 1/2-inch pieces. If necessary, cut pea shoots into 2-inch lengths, trimming away any tough tendrils or stalks. Shell fava beans. Bring small pot of water to boil, drop in fava beans, cook for 2 to 3 minutes to loosen skins, and drain. When cool enough to handle, slip skins off the beans.
2. Heat olive oil in wide pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic to pot and season lightly with salt. Sauté to soften, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in chard or other leafy green and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until nearly tender, 5 to 10 minutes depending on which green you’ve used, adding a tablespoon or two of water as needed, if pot seems dry. Stir in asparagus, peas, and fava beans and season. Cover pot and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in herbs. Working over the pot, use a zester to peel the yellow part of the lemon skin directly into vegetable mixture. Stir and taste. Add salt and pepper as needed, and a nice squeeze of lemon if desired. Mound on a serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
© 2009, Amelia Saltsman